factors, including the student’s health, the size of the family, and the quality of the
school. The single most important factor appeared to be the degree of parents’ interest
in their children’s education. Douglas had argued that middle class parents had
frequent visits to their children’s school to monitor their progress. They much
preferred to see the head teacher as appose to seeing the class teachers about their
children’s work. They were also more likely to want their children to stay at school
beyond the minimum leaving age and to encourage them to do so.
In contrast to working class parents, Douglas mentions that they were just happy in
seeing their children’s class tutors and class teachers about their children’s progress.
They did not have very high aspirations for their children doing further education.
This relates back to my hypothesis as I mentioned that middle class pupils achieve
higher because of the amount of parental interest.
Another liberal functionalist named Khal had attempted to explain differences in
educational aspiration in a small matched samples of American schoolboys.
They came from similar homes and had similar abilities, but half aspired to go to
college and half did not. Khal had come to assume that this was down to ‘parental
pressure’. Those boys with supportive parents tended to be sufficiently motivated
towards their education, whereas those boys with less encouraging parents tended to
do as they pleased. The modest educational or occupational aspirations of working
class pupils may still require long-range social mobility.
All in all Khal concluded that the more parental interest the higher the children’s
educational achievement. Both liberal functionalists have helped support my
hypothesis.
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Main Research Method and Reasons.
The research method that I have chosen is a structured questionnaire as this will help
test my hypothesis as structural theories, such as liberal functionalism, favour the
positivist methodological approach as it gives data a scientific quality to the research.
Structured questionnaires produce quantitative data. It measures as assesses
achievement, which can be expressed in a form via exam results. This therefore
allows me to show comparisons between both middle class and working class and
allowing me to measure the amount of interest parents give to their children. This will
be shown statistically in percentages.
Structured questionnaires is reliable as it uses set questions with set answers, such as
‘‘ Did your parents attend parents evenings regularly?’’ ‘‘ YES or NO’’. This
indicates that such a method is able to be replicated and similar results can be
obtained, making it more scientific and valid.
To operationalise my concepts, I will measure it through set questions and answers.
For example, to test parental interest, I might ask ‘‘Did your parents help you with
homework?’’. Also to operationalise social class I might ask an open question such
as ‘‘What are your parents occupation?’’
The sample methods I will use is quota sampling. This is because I do not need a
sample frame as obtaining names from a college register might be unethical and
breach confidential laws. My sample will consist of 30 working class and middle class
students aged 16-19 years who attend college and have taken their GCSE’s, as this
will help me increase a representative sample.
I will administer my questionnaires in Loreto College at lunch time in the canteen, as
it will be highly populated by students at that particular time. Loreto is a multi-
cultural college and diverse, creating a more representative sample.
Before the main research is carried out I will conduct a pilot study. This will help test
the administration of my questionnaire and ensure a good response rate. This will also
enable me to ensure that I have mentioned all parts of parental interest and that I have
portrayed my questions clearly in the questionnaire.
Whilst carrying out my research I will explain the purpose of the research and obtain
full informed consent from all the students at Loreto college, which is important if we
are prying into their personal life and details such as their exam results. Through
informed consent anonymity will be respected which will therefore give a more valid
and reliable data.
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Potential Problems
A theoretical problem I will have is interpretivism, as it will see positivist methods as
lacking validity. Reasons being is because as my concepts consist of both social class
and parental interest, and the questionnaire includes a set questions and a set answers
which therefore narrows down the reality as they contain the respondent to the areas
covered by myself in these questions and responses. It also lacks qualitative data as
the questions fail to examine the meaning behind actions, for example, Black and
Martimore criticised Douglas’ work on parental interest as he pointed out that
working class parents may have had less flexible working hours which therefore lead
the parents to not attend parents evening.
Another theoretical problem is that, as my hypothesis looks at the educational
achievement of when students took their GCSE’s, my response needed from the
students depend on them remembering their results. If they have little remembrance of
what they achieved then this would lower the reliability and the validity of my
research.
Whilst carrying out this research, ethical issues will occur with the problem of
intruding into people’s lives, as I am dealing with sensitive and personal issues. The
students might feel the need to disclose their exam results or their parents’ occupation
or even where they live, as they may be embarrassed.
Another problem which may arise is the practical issues. By administering my sample
at Loreto College means excluding those on Modern Apprenticeships and in jobs,
which means a high number of those who underachieved and failed to go on to further
education or those, whose parents emphasised immediate gratification. It also may
administer to those around at the time or to those I feel will co-operate or to those
who look friendliest which may lead to an unrepresentative sample.
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